SPO-DEE-O-DEE DEGREE

California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo has a 350-student "viticulture and enology" program, preparing its majors for an industry critical to the state's economy (and with a venerable international cachet) — but state law hobbles it. Many in Cal Poly's four-year wine-making program must arrange for a fifth year — after they turn 21 — otherwise, faculty and administrators could be felons for "furnishing alcohol to a minor" when they assign students to taste their own creations. The current California legislative session is considering letting underage wine-making students to sip and spit.